Miracle Technical Institute

Introduction

An acronym for Marianist Institute for Rural Artisans for Christian Life Education, MIRACLE is a skill training Centre located in the western outskirts of Karonga District, a fairly small township in northern end of Malawi. About a kilometre away from Karonga Airport and sharing its compound with renowned Chaminade Catholic Secondary School, MIRACLE is owned and operated by the Society of Mary (Marianist) whose headquarters is in the district of Eastern Africa.

Since its inception in 2000, it has traded under full name: Miracle Technical Institute and it is on record to have graduated in excess of 100 skilled youths every calendar year. This, in essence, reinforces the core objective of the Institute that seeks to equip poor orphans in Karonga with trade talents appropriate for rural market as well as life skills necessary for a virtuous life. It is evident that the acquired skills have unshackled the targeted underprivileged youths from the chains of poverty.

Scope Analysis

HIV/AIDS, an incurable, sexually-transmitted disease, became so viral in the 1990s that it claimed numerous productive lives across the country. Consequently, this led to multitudes of orphans who had little or no support for their education and their economic life altogether. Besides, with most tertiary institutions primarily focusing on the academic and intellectual aspects for admission, other mind facets such as spiritual growth were overlooked. Together with inability of most available tertiary institutions to absorb all post-primary school qualified graduates, the blooming graduate fissure for such aspects is the very much pressing reason for the foundation of the Institute. Above all, a critical overview of the country’s economy revealed that only a minority of the population were absorbed in the formal employment, with most of the idle people short of technical and entrepreneurial skills.

Feasibility Study and historical overview

The foundation of MIRACLE was based on a 1996 feasibility study conducted by a team of Marianist Brothers. The Brothers sought to expand their sole service offer of Chaminade Secondary School, which had existed for over forty years, to the people of Karonga. The study was mandated by the Marianists’ Regional Chapter following an assembly dubbed, “Do Whatever He Tells You” which took place in Nairobi, Kenya in 1994.

The survey, conducted in the district, revealed that the people faced three key problems: abject poverty attached to high unemployment; a wide prevalence of HIV/AIDS (placed at 15 percent in 2005) among young adults coupled with many child headed households; and food insecurity.

Therefore, a decision was made to set up a trade school to train young men and women in job skills that would be useful in their rural settings. The school would help the youth to earn an income and foster faith that would help them raise Christ centered families.

The local Church under the Leadership of the late Bishop Joseph Mukasa Zuza supported the decision by the Brothers and granted them permission to use part of the land at Chaminade Mission to establish structures for MIRACLE. This was followed by a pilot program conducted in November/December 1999, with the actual commencement of trainings in January, a year later.

Initially, the institute was only limited to offering knowledge in Carpentry, Tailoring and Hotel and Catering. However, in 2005, Electrical installation programme was introduced, with Introduction to Computers following four years later. It must be stated that each of the trade skills is offered both in theory and in practical.

Response

After conducting a thorough and satisfactory research by its own design, MIRACLE decided to respond the needs of the underprivileged masses by offering an integrated tertiary education package through:

Molding trainees over a maximum duration of 4 years so that they can make moral and responsible decisions

Providing a glimpse of God’s love to each trainee through word and action.

Producing graduates who can be either be self-employed or wage earners in small businesses.

Inculcating the culture of reading for information and enjoyment, effectively improving literacy.

Infusing business skills and entrepreneurial spirit among trainees.

Encouraging the trainees to share good values they receive from Miracle to the outside world

Vision, Mission, Motto

Since its inception, MIRACLE has been guided by a Vision, a Mission and a Motto, all of which based on Marianist Principles for education hereby laid.

PRINCIPLES/ VALUES OF MARIANIST EDUCATION

To educate for formation in faith

To provide integral, quality education

To educate family spirit

To educate for service, justice and peace

To educate for adaptation and change

To educate for formation in faith

VISION

To be a Value and a Quality centered Technical Institute in Malawi

MISSION

To train youths in vocational skills by employing the 5 characteristics of Marianist Education

MOTTO

MOTTO: An Oasis of Hope, Quality and Integral Education

Organogram

The organogram is based on a three-level stratum that encompasses Marianist Region of Eastern African Council, The Diocese of Karonga, The Board, Management, the Academic Staff and the Support Staff. Generally, the operations of the affairs of the Institute are mainly controlled by a team of Marianist Brothers who are at the helm of high-level posts such as the Director, Deputy Director and the Human Resource Manager (HRM).

Management

Management consists of the Director, the Deputy Director, the HRM, the Principal, the Dean of Studies and the Finance Administrator